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Grantham officials review Class VI road guidance, CIP tracking and delay that is holding up tax‑rate setting
Summary
Selectmen heard from staff about state guidance on Class VI roads that will require zoning changes, received a CIP committee update stressing difficulty getting timely cost estimates, and were told a Village District MS‑535 filing delay is preventing the town from setting its tax rate.
The Grantham Board of Selectmen on Oct. 22 received several administrative updates from staff and the Capital Improvements Program committee that could affect zoning language, budgeting and the town's ability to set its tax rate.
Road Agent Jeff Hastings and Administrative Assistant II Todd Hamm attended a state training on legislative updates to Class VI roads; Town Administrator Emily Owens told the board that the state recommended language changes and that new wording will need to be added to the Zoning Ordinance. Owens said the town will work through the recommended changes with the board and the Planning Board.
Owens also told the board that the Village District of Eastman filed its MS‑535 on Oct. 17, 2025. "DRA will not release us to set the tax rate until all the material from the other entities (SAU and VDE) has been reviewed," she said; that delay means the town cannot finalize its 2025 tax rate until the Department of Revenue Administration completes its review.
Members of the CIP Committee presented a new Capital Projects Listing and a detailed spreadsheet for fiscal 2026–2027. Committee member Ralph Beasley said the committee's difficulty obtaining timely cost estimates has impeded planning: "We had our first meeting in April, on April Fool's Day, and it seemed to set the tone for what we have had to deal with," Beasley said. Selectman Jeremy Walla noted the Highway CRF did not reflect an ordered but unpaid one‑ton truck; Owens said she is developing improved tracking to capture orders pending delivery so CRF balances are accurate.
The board reviewed these updates for future agenda scheduling and directed staff to continue coordinating with the Planning Board on ordinance language and to refine capital‑project and CRF tracking ahead of the budget cycle.
